It's Hell getting old. You can't do the things you used to, and suddenly when it comes to competing with all the young punks out there you've lost a step. They're faster than you and they're more explosive than you. How do you stay competitive? The same way aging athletes have always competed with the young--craftiness and guile. When I look at T-Mac play the impression that I get is that he's still trying to play like the T-Mac from Orlando, despite the fact that he has no cartilage left in his knees. The worst thing you can do as an athlete when you start to age is try and prove to yourself that you're still young. Yes, he's not even thirty but he's been in the league for a while now and his body has a lot of miles on it. He's showing the classic injuries associated with wear and tear--problems with his knees and back. Anybody can tell from reviewing film from his Orlando days that he's lost a lot of speed and explosiveness. I am not a huge fan of T-Mac driving to the basket. One, he's going to be throwing up a lot of layups now instead of dunks because he's lost a lot of hops. Two, every time he drives I wonder if the next thing I'll see is T-Mac writhing in pain on the court clutching at his knees or back. His jump shot has been inconsistent and there's almost no arc on the ball when he shoots it these days. So what does craft and guile mean? For T-Mac I think he should be trying to work off the ball in Adelman's offense, trying to get an open look from 12 to 15 feet away. No long jumpers--get in close, get an open look and bury the ball.
Now he has no cartlidge left? Come on, the guy has a BONE BRUISE...what does that have to do with cartlidge. Man, oh man. DD
That was a little tongue in cheek. Seriously, it looks to me like he's trying to prove to himself that he can still play like he did when he was 22. What's the result going to be? Every once in a while he'll have a game where he shoots the lights out, which will just encourage him. Then he'll have a string of games where he shoots 30%.
Perhaps Accroding the game, we saw Alston did not get much assists when Tmac without the game.... that would be the problem Maybe Alston can assit more...
He was playing pretty darned well BEFORE the injury, I think he is hurting some, but is still trying to find out exactly how he fits in......and he is moody...and that is probably not helping the process. But as long as they win while they figure it out, that is OK with me. DD
I think T-Mac is probably going to have some very good games in the future. The problem with age and injury is that I don't think he's going to be able to shoot the lights out as consistently as when he was young and healthy. I think that guys who play a long time in the league change their game up as they get older. If they don't they get cut. T-Mac's knees might improve, but he's not going to stop aging.
Jordan changed his game to largely a jump shooter and he was incredible at it. Shows what dedication and practice can do. Too bad TMac doesn't have the drive to get better.
I am pretty close to watch each game of T-mac's. I am not a big fan of T-mac, but, to be honest, I think T-mac is doing his best. Since he is off from ASG, his attitude has changed from my observation. Of course, we have not watched longer enough to draw a final conclusion. He is getting older and I see he is assisting more as well. I do see a change of his play. Not something like you ever said he was not changing. I think he is just doing great. I will say it again. If he is healthy, I still believe Yao&T-mac+RA might bring us into the final although I dont expect it's happening this year.
I am thinking that T-mac should pick a role and stick with it. If he wants to be a point forward, then play like Bulls' Pippen. If he wants to be a scorer, then play like Jordan. But please don't try to be both in the same game. What I don't want to see is the T-mac in Indiana game. He dominated the ball a little too much. I would much rather to see his assists go to Rafer, and have him take Rafer's shots. Rafer(and Brook) can handles the PG role. If you don't let him do his job, then all he could do is shoot. When T-mac was injured our offense was more fluid because it is less predictable. I really hate it when the two teams stand completely still and just wait for T-mac to make his move. That play really shouldn't happen so often in one game. Having two superstars on the same team is suppose to get more open looks for whole team. We can't let our strength be our weakness.
Lock this thread up. It's the same old nonsense we've all heard thousands of times. I'm getting very tired of us singling Tracy out for everything. WHen it come dow to it, winning in this league takes a team. Tracy is a great player, along with Yao, who is the leader at this point. Both, along with the rest of the team, have to change their game to fit together. It's not just a quick one man fix and an automatic bid to the finals.
Can not agree more! Leaving PG's job to PG's and concentrate on your own job, please! Otherwise, serve as a sixth man.
another arm-chair thread terrorizing on t-mac and saying he's getting old??? I just don't think the people who start these threads know much about basketball.
Ok, so you make a bs post stating that tmac has cartilage issues in his kness and state it as matter of FACT and then when called out on it you retreat in your corner and act like it was meant to be taken with a grain of salt from the beginning. Here is what you said: When I look at T-Mac play the impression that I get is that he's still trying to play like the T-Mac from Orlando, despite the FACT that he has no cartilage left in his knees. How do we conclude tongue in cheek from that. Ok, so your strategy is talk out of your terminating end of your GI tract and then when called out on it........flip flop around and make the reader look stupid by saying......come on, "you really think tmac has no cartilage left" Ok, so now that we now your strategy, we can take all of your posts as bs, errr with a grain of salt. go dakota for calling him on it.
29 isn't old, most athletes start to really decline close to mid 30's. Tmac still has shown he still has a lot of his atheletic ability even though it might not be what it used to. No one is blocking his shots and he's still able to dunk it strong. Kobe had surgery on his knees and yesterday he had a dunk fest. He is about the same age as Tmac and hasn't change his game at all really.
